How to cultivate growth in today's youth

Today's youth aren't hungry for progress, just for making money," stated Cristiano Ronaldo, the millionaire football player who doesn't live in scarcity but was born in one of Madeira's poorest neighborhoods. Whether we like him or not, and regardless of how he showcases his current power, he undeniably serves as an example of personal growth. However, being born in such conditions isn't necessary to understand the value of effort and money; many have learned this lesson despite being born in better circumstances. Although they are becoming increasingly rare... and there are increasingly more voices questioning what achievements we are leaving for a kid who, for instance, already has the latest 1,300 euro iPhone at 13.

There are many things within our reach to reconsider not only how we are educating the younger generations but also to focus on ourselves and reflect on the many unnecessary actions in our daily lives. It's not about taking vows of poverty but about observing gestures we've internalized without realizing, which can do more harm than we think.

There's a lot we can do to rethink not only how we're educating the younger generations but also to focus on ourselves and consider the many unnecessary actions in our daily lives. It's not about embracing poverty but rather about examining the gestures we've internalized without realizing, which can cause more harm than we imagine.

Adolescents are ready to explore the world; they need it; it's the age to do so. If we nullify this need by making things too easy for them, we're not only failing to help them but also inhibiting a crucial aspect of their development. Quick clicks don't help; they want fast food, it's a click away; they want sex, they have all they want with very easy access.

Furthermore, the excess of things and parents being the ones to provide them ends up nullifying effort and tolerance for frustration. There's the syndrome of the hyper-gifted child: They stop valuing effort. Whether it's Christmas or any time of the year, if they ask for something and get it immediately, they'll think: if I have everything I ask for, why should I bother making an effort? In this way, we also fail to cultivate patience.

In an increasingly accelerated world, cultivating patience, waiting, and slowness, is more necessary than ever. This education in non-abundance should also apply to the use of mobile phones and technology in general. Unlimited data plans, smartphones capable of hours of browsing and gigabytes of information, far from bringing us happiness, take it away. We can all take small steps toward a slow lifestyle. According to studies on time use in Spain, the average Spaniard spends between 7 and 8 hours on screens. The most terrible thing about this data is that most of those hours are optional; it's not work, nobody is forcing us to spend 4 hours looking at Instagram or TikTok. They are personal choices, which is why I believe we always have room to improve our lives.

IDEAS FOR EDUCATING IN SCARCITY
Educating in scarcity doesn't mean intentionally living in worse conditions than we can afford but rather eliminating superfluous things that, on the other hand, are nullifying innate needs and talents necessary for human growth.

Gift time, experiences, and love, not material objects: It's more than proven that we will forget physical things sooner or later. But the feelings and experiences we've lived are what we truly cherish.
If it's necessary but not urgent, postpone that gift, set a date: With children, certainly, you can wait for a birthday, an achievement, or have them contribute a part through small jobs. Adults can also rethink our relationship with things; nothing like a minimalist approach a la Marie Kondo to see all the things and clothes we've accumulated compared to what we've used in the last year.

List of paid tasks at home: Even with a balanced distribution of household chores, there are other less urgent needs that always get left behind: vacuuming the car, organizing the attic, matching socks... You can make a list of these tasks and offer a small reward (it doesn't have to be monetary) to your children old enough to do them; it's a way to reward the effort of achieving things.

Go out into nature (picnic included): Going outdoors, besides the physical benefits of oxygenation and breaking sedentary habits, teaches us the unhurried pace followed by most species. Additionally, discovering how satisfying a sandwich is after a couple of hours' walk is something no takeout can match.

Cooking: Besides being much healthier than prepared food, it also educates us in organization (buying ingredients) and patience, especially if it's a dish that requires some preparation. It teaches us that the result is the delicious reward after investing time.

Accompany a family member to something that requires a long time: Often, we extinguish fires, even with family. It's ridiculous that many people want company while others, like adolescents, are tired of being alone or feeling alone. Let's bridge those two needs! You can ask your adolescent or young child to accompany their grandparents to a doctor's appointment or on an errand... They'll surely be surprised by the slower pace of these older family members, they'll have to learn to wait patiently, and they might even be surprised by their elders' needs.

Educate your child in scarcity, and you'll have a successful adult. Or perhaps not, but at least they'll know how to fend for themselves, and that, in itself, is a success.